From DIY homemade ghosts to K-pop Demon Hunters with custom wigs, Halloween costumes for grown-ups have undergone a dramatic transformation over the past 50 years.

Since 1980, the spooky season has mirrored pop culture’s biggest shifts − tracking everything from blockbuster movies and celebrities to superheroes and social media trends (we see you, Labubu).

Halloween spending in 2025 is expected to reach a record $13.1 billion in the United States, with $4.3 billion spent on costumes alone, according to the National Retail Federation. USA TODAY takes a look at how costumes and cultural trends, from Madonna's rebellious glam to pets dressed as lions and superheroes, give us the chance to become someone − or something − else, even for just one night.

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